Thrashing-machine



4 SheetsSheet 1.

(No Model.)

W, J. RANDOLPH. THRASHING MACHINE.

. Patented Mar. 3, 1896;

v (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet? w. J. RANDOLPH. :TH -RAS'HING MACHINE.

5 1 a B a n-- n u I I c e D C I a l I I I 1 85 -15 fi andalgh wihjzss as4 sheets-sheet a.

- w. J. RANDOLPH.

,THRASHING MACHINE. {533. Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

(No Model.) 4 sheets sheet 4.

. w. RANDOLPH.

I THRASHING MACHINE.

No; 555,533; Patented Mar. 3, 1896 'IQUNITED. STATES PATENT .O FIQEL theusua l shape and is of a 50 a specification.

wILLrAM J. RANDOLPTI, oni' onn nt n, LoUIsIAn- ETHRASH ING-MAci-HN E.

f js riicrmcn'rion forming art ofLe'tters s No. 5 55,5233, datd March3,.1s9eg Application filed Eugust 2,1894- To all whom it may concern/.-Be it known that I,\VILLIAM J. RANDOLPH, a citi'len of the UnitedStates, residing at Oberlin, in the parish of Calcasieu and State,

of Louisiana,have invented a newand useful Thrashing-Machine, of whichthe following is This invention relates to thrashing-mm chines; and ithas for its object to provide certai-n improvements inthrashing-machines whereby shaking and yibratin g separating devices andcarriers are dispensed with, while at the same time providing means fora more effective separation of the grain being operated upon.- i

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is toprovide an effective tlirasher having no' vibrating or shakin g parts tobecome displaced and out of order. Vith these and other objects inview,which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is.be tterunderstood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated; andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central longitudinalsectional View of a thrashing-machine constructed in accordance withthis invention. Fig.2 is a detail sectional view' on the line a; 00 ofFig. 1. Fig; 3 is a detail in perspective of one of the swing ingscreen-plates of the adjustable riddle. Fig. 4 is'a detail inperspective ofa section of one of the endless riddle-chains having thepivot-pins. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional View of one of theswinging screenplate's. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional View ofthe upper end of the endless riddle. Fig. 7 is a detail transversesectional view. showing the attachment of the inclined guardboards at'the sides of the riddle frame, shown in Fig. 1 in dotted lines. 9 areside elevations of the-machine, showing thegearing for' speeding thestraw-carriers, the heaters, and the grain-wheels.

Referrin g to the accompanying drawin gs,

A represents the casing-of niyimproved thrashingmachine, which is'cons'tructed in' dins o thework requi red of it'ff fie machinecasi 'g-A is 'ounte'd on the ordinary trucli wheelsia, which protiiddfor theready 'tran'spdrtation of the machine from place to pl arated grain,loosened from Figs. 8 and 1 from the straw while being Sveria1Nt.5l9,287. (Nomodeld feeding end thereof 'iSf arra e t feed board or table B,onto h is placed and fed to thethra The thrashing-cylinder O is 'o'fthe'o construction provided with the cylind c, and working over the cylii er 0 M ,El-lrang d directly thereunder at the finnei ehid p of thefeed boarder-table. 'Iir-thef re'sentiuvention the usual grate ai e; lidinner endof the cylinder within order that the 'st' concave, maybethrowndirectl o g inclined slatted straw-carrier D; "ivhi 4 grainthrashed 'out of the straw by the: c der falls through the concaveonto-thecy inder eant-boardd, which} "chg'rai onto the main grain-boar1F" up grain is carried by the endless" g'rani-carriei F, theupperportionof which works on top? of the said grain-board. 1 "j Thefirst straw-carrieigdj,

rectly over the grain-car the cylinder and its cone; receive the strawand'g" h der, but also toprovide'for omthe straw-carrier, to also fallonto' theflniani' grain-board E, and be elev the carrier F.

The straw-carrier D is'ofa a 'snn te slatted construction, comprisingthe "opposite end less. chains or beItsQpassi-ng" and lower sets ofchain-whe' is nected bythe elosel'y-arran 1 an gularly-shaped or poinviding a'constructi on ith the straw, while permitting to fall directlytheretl-irotr'g'h iid b n upper andlower portions 0" ts rier D onto thecarrie' upper'portionsof theendless e are adapted to pass overtlielongitudinally disposed supporting clea or strips e, ar?" ranged underthe upper pjo" ti'onoftlie QHEI'JYIGI nc'to er ciia"'-' The firststraw-carrier inclination within the provide for the proper sepa r ztand such carrier has imparted thereto a comparatively rapid motion ofabout two hundred feet per minute, while directly thereabove, at about adistance of four inches and in as close proximity to the cylinder (J aspossible, is mounted a rapidly-revolving beater G. The heater G isprovided with a radial series of wings-g, which serve to strike down thestraw as it leaves the machine-cylinder and beat the s'ameonto thecarrier D. The rim of the winged beater G is adapted to travel in thedirection indicated by the arrow, about three or four times as fast asthe carrier D, and combines with such carrier to knock and tear thestraw, whether wet or dry, so as to effect a thorough separation of thegrain therefrom, such thrashed grain falling through the carrier D ontothe grain-carrier F, as previously described.

The grain-carrier F is constructed in a substantially similar manner tothe slatted strawcarrier D and comprises the opposite endlessv chains 1,passing over the upper and lower sets of chain-wheels f and connected bythe transverse slats f which slats are preferably attached to lugs onthe links of the chains f and serve to elevate the grain on thegrainboard E.

The slatted grain-carrier 1 is arranged at an inclination within themachine-casiug-A and extends from the front end. toan intermediate pointbeginning at a point below and beyond the lower end of the cant-board dand ending at its upper end at a central or intergrain-board E, which isarranged under the upper portion of the carrier F, extends from rend toend of such carrier, beyond the rear upper end of which is formed agrain-space 11, through which the grain falls after being elevated upand over the outer end of the grain-board.

Beyond the upper end of the first straw-carrier, D, and the upper end ofthe main grain.- board E and over the grain-space II is arranged asecond slatted. straw-carrier, D.

The straw-earrier D is constructed similar 'to the carrier D; but to thesecond straw-carrier is imparted a faster motion than to the carrier D,the carrier D being given a motion of bout two hundred and twenty-livefeet pr A minute. At a point directly between the upper discharging endof the carrier D and the lower receiving end of the carrier D isarranged an intermediate winged heater 1, which is given a rotation in adirection which causes it to carry the straw received from the carrier Don the top portion thereof, and to throw it toward a faster-rotatingbeater I, which is arranged directly over the carrier D and slightlycloser thereto than the beater G is to the carrier D. The heater Irotates much faster than the beater I and in a direction opposite to therotati'on'of the latter figjoeater, so that the straw is buffetedbetween "the said heaters in order that any grain which may be clingingthereto will be thrashed out mediate point within the casing, and themain of the same, and be caused to pass through the slats of the carrierD into the grainspace H.

'The thrashed straw is.elevatcd by the second straw-carrier, 1') onto abeater i arranged in the same position beyond its upper end as thedisposition of the heater 1 beyond the carrier D, and said beateri isadapted to rotate in combination with an adjacent reversely and morerapidly rotating heater 1;, and these two heaters agitate the strawdirectly over a third inclined slatted straw-carrier, D

The inclined slatted straw-carrier D is of identically the sameconstruction as the first carrier, D, and need not be further described;but it is to be noted that this carrier-is given a faster speed thaneither of the other two preceding carriers and is made to travel atabout the rate of two hundred and fifty or two hundred and seventy-fivefeet perminute, and in order to positively insure the separation of anyremaining grain in the straw at this point of the thrasher the beater'i' is disiposed nearer to the top face of the carrier D than either ofthe corresponding heaters preceding.

In connection with the heaters that are arranged over each of theinclined carriers it is to be noted that the longitudinal supportingstrips or cleats, such as described in connection with the firstcarrier, D, will prevent the carriers from jumping or sagging away fromthe boaters, so as to make the action of the heaters positive.

The third inclined straw-carrier, D is'arranged at the rear end of thethrashing-machine and delivers the straw into the rear straw-chute J,that is extended. any distance from the rear end of the machine-casingto provide for delivering the straw onto the stack, and immediatelyunder and extending longitudinally of the said straw-carrier D isarranged an inclined grain -board j, that catches the thrashed grainwhich falls through the said slatted carrier and directs such grain backtoward the centerpf the machine and into the grain-spaced], throughwhich substantially all of the thrashed grain. passes, for the purposeto be presently described.

The number of the stra\\-'-carriers may be varied, and in the event ofconstructing a machine with a greater number of these straw carriersarranged successively the speed of such carriers would differentiatesuccessively in a similar manner to the differentiation of the speed ofthe carriers 1), I) and D ,already descri'bed,and it is therefore to beobserved that there is not only differential speeds between the heatersand the strawcarriers and the straw-carriers themselves, but alsobetween heater and heater, so that means are provided for giving thestraw violent agitation without any danger of throwing the grain out ofthe machine, and also making it impossible for the thrashed In to rideout of the machine in the straw.

,gforn ed in oppositesides of the machine sf l adaptathe s'ametothe-different kinds of grain- 5 side-tois'ide-of the riddle-frame andhave the All the grain thrashed from the straw is mainly directed tofall through the grainspace H onto the endless riddle. L, whichisarranged at an angle within one end of the 5 machine casing A directlyunder. the ugipcr portion of the grain-carrier F; Theen less riddleL isniounted on and is adapted to travel over ariddle-frame M. The riddle-V.- franie,M[comprises the opposite braced side 10 barsm, which areconnected and braced te I gether bymeans of suitable frame-bars andbrace 'rodsmtl, and to the innerextremities ofrthe. side, ars m areattached the offstand- ,in'gbearin'g-armsN, which project beyond theends of the bars m and form bearing-supports for theopposite'wheel-shafts n. The opposite Wheehshafts n carry thereon, atoneside of thebearing-arms N, the sprocket or ,chailnwheelsQ, which arethus disposed in'a zo li' ne "'th and jbeyond the ends of the side nd,the upper one of said Wheel- 1s tendedbeyondthe wheels 0 he by andprojects through the opsef the machine-casing A, so as to support forthat end of the rid= I an intermediate point the opposite. side bars metthe riddle-frame M have secured ffthereto-,-the,offstanding bolt-arms P,which project through and work in the curved slots casing A are engagedat their outer ends by thQbinding-nuts p,1which, together with,suehbolt-arrns, provide means for adjusting the angleof ,the slant ofriddle frame to bein g. operatedqnpon. r

Thesprocket or chain wheels 0, arranged in pairs at opposite ends of theriddle-frame M, are adapted to receive the opposite parallel chains Q,every other link of which chains is provided with an inwardly-extendin gpivot- .pingadapted to loosely receive the opposite angled ends of thetransverse plate-barsR. The; transverse plateebars R are provided withopposite angled perforated ends *r to loosely engage the pivot-pins ofthe chains Q and have attached thereto the flanged ends r .i of theperforated screen-plates S.

3 The perforated screen-plates S extend from oppositee1 1ds thereofslightly overlap the .chains Q to, prevent .the grain from working offthroughsaidchains, and such plates are of. awidthso that their freeedges will over- I v.glap the pivoted-i edge of the adjacentuplate whenformingthe upper portion vof the, travel inggriddleL; hut byreason ofthe pivotal,

: .connectionslof such plates with the opposite oojchainsxQthe same, oftheir own weight, will assume a -vertical position when forming theiunder portion of the riddle, as clearly'illns- :trated in l of thedrawings, in order-to ;,.;1eayeiunobstructed passages for the grain tofalhlthroughi after? working its way through the overlapped plates onthe upper portion of the riddle.

The swinging or pivoted screcn- 'ilates are preferably provided withelongated separatin g openings or perforations s,which are moreeffective in theseparation of oats and similar grains,'and to the underside of the several screen-plates are preferably attached the adjustableslide-plates T. The slide-plates T are provided with a series ofopenings orperforations 5, corresponding to those in the screenplates,and such slide-plates are adjustably clamped to the screen-plates by theboltst',

whereby the size of the openings or perfoia tions in such screen-platesmay be varied to suit the grain being operated upon.

Arranged above the lower end-of the endless riddle L, and suitablyattached to the frame M thereof, is a stopboard U, disposed transverselyof the casing A, and such stopboard prevents the grain from working oifat the lower end of the riddle, while the grain is prevented fromworking off at the side of the riddle and is held thereon by means ofthe opposite side guard-boards u. The opposite side guard-boards u aredisposed at an angle, so as to project over the opposite chains Q, andare attached at both ends to the short attaching-arms'u, which aresecured to the outer sides of the side bars-m, thereby providing aconnection of theguard-boards with the riddle-frame, so as to beadjusted therewith. 4

Arranged transversely of the riddle-frame M, near the upper outer endthereof, is the transverse agitator-shaft V, which carries, near theopposite ends thereof, the agitatorcams 12,,which are let into the sideframebars of the riddle and areadapted to slightly tap on the under sideof the chains Q, near their upper ends, in order to agitate any trashthat may be riding out and carrying with it thrashed grain, thusrelieving the grain and causing it to work back onto the bottom inclinedchute-board K, arranged at an angle 1 under the endless riddle anddischarging into the bottom discharge-conveyer 7t, which carries thegrain off at one side of the machine.

The unthrashed material, which is carried,

over the upper end of the endless riddle L, falls intothereturn-conveyor k, which carries such material into the return=spout7: which leads back to the feeding end of the thrashing-1n achine.

The effective separation of the grain falling onto and through theendless riddle is assisted by means of the separate blast-fans \V and W,respectively, the former of which fans discharges an air-current intothe falling grainl 'as it drops onto the endlessriddle, and also-ca .esthejcurrent of air to pass through dia ram-space II and into the spacebeyond the upper end of the. carrier-1R. The other der and through theriddle L to complete the windsieparations ,which were-not eifected bythefanJV, and the fPQllTi-hflfftll \V' is controlled by a wind-board w,'arrangedtransversely within the casing at one side of the volves.

discharge-conveyor k and suitably adjustable at the side of themachine-casing, in order to provide for the proper deflection of theaircurrent that is directed thereby under the riddle L.

By reason of the arrangement of the fans W and W it will be obvious thatsuch fans fill the whole rear end of the machine with a strong blast ofair, and this blast of air becomes contracted by reason of theinclination of the bottom inclined chute-board K under the riddle Landthe rear sharply-inclined cant-board X extended above thereturn-conveyer k, so that the blast of air will be sufiiciently strongto carry the straw throughand beyond the straw-chute J to a sufficientdistance so as to dispense with any extra rigging for stacking purposes,and it will therefore be obvious that the herein-described machine maybe depended upon to stack-its own straw, while at the same time sendingthe dust, chaff and other foreign matter clear away fromthe machine.

The rear cant-board X forms the rear end wall of the machine-casing andleads downwardly to the return-conveyerk, and the said board is at asteeper or sharper inclination than the board K and is provided thereinwith bottom grain-pockets a: that may be opened from time to time torelieve the machine from extra accumulations of trash. clination of theboard X permits the lighter grains to run down the same against the windand into the return-screw k, so that such grains are not lost, and if itis found that too much trash is running down the said board X into theconveyer It either more .wind is given to the machine or the pockets :1opened to allow the trash to drop out to the ground, where it may besaved for feed or other purposes.

In the grain-space 11, directly beyond the upper end of the, carrier F,and the space directly above the upper end of the endless riddle L arelocated the transiterscly-arranged slowly-rotating grain-wheels Y. Thesaid grain-wheels Y essentially comprise a shaft "y and a series ofcurved wheel-,lilades y curved in the same direction to formgrain-pockets 7 therebetween. The said grain-whecls rotate in thedirection of the arrows and relative to the function. of the wheellocated in the space ii. It is to be noted that in practice it has beenfound that the throw of the slats of the carrier F, which carries thegrain over the board E, and the wind from the fan W brought the graintoo near the upper end. of the riddle L, and by the interposition of agrain-wheel of the construction described such wheel will interrupt thegrain delivered over the upper end of the carrier F, and while the windpasses most of the chatf beyond such wheel the grain falls into thepockets thereof and is dropped and at the same time spread onto theriddle L as the said wheel slowly re- The grain-wheel located above theupper end of the riddle 'L interrupts and catches the light grains blownover the riddle The sharp inand deposits the same onto the board X, downwhich the grain slides into the return-conveyer k.

Arranged transversely within the machinecasing A, and directly above thewinged beater G, is the transverse suction-box Z, provided at the bottomwith a curved screenbottom z, disposed in very close proximity to theperiphery of the said wheel G, and to each end of the suction-box Z isconnected a windleg 2', that also connects with the side inlets of thefan W. i

By reason of the arrangement of the we tion-box Z and its connectionwith one of the fans of the machine a comparatively dustless machine isprovided, for when'the machineis in operation the fan W" receives itsdraft through the said suction-box and the windleg from the spacedirectly over the beater G, so that the pull or draw comes in from thecylinder, carrying in the dust, &c. The curved bottom screen z preventsany straw that might be drawn from the beater from passing to the fan,and the close proximity of such screen to the beater provides means sothat the blades of the beater will keep the screen clean and preventstraw and trash from clogging the same to interrupt the blast. The saidwind-legs may be provided with suitable means, such as slides, forregulating the draft or blast of the fans with which they are connected.

\Vith reference to the function of the riddle L, at this point it is tobe noted that the said riddle is adjusted at such an angle that thetendency of the grain to be elevated thereby is overcome by the tendencyof the grain to slide toward the lower end thereof, and inasm ueh asthere is no appreciable jump or jar on the riddle-screens the graineasily passes through the riddle, while at the same time all light trashis moved forward by the riddle and the wind, thercbysecuring almostperfect separation of the grain.

Changes in the 'form, proportion and they minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificingany of the advantages of this invention.

Having described I the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is- 1. In athrashin g-machine, thecombination with the casing; of a'series of inclineddifferentially-speeded slatted straw-carriers arranged successively inadvance of each other, separate pairs of beater-s arranged between andabove said carriers and being of a uniform size, said pairs of boatersbeing differentially speeded progressively and the beat- 01s of eachpair being also differentially 2. In a thrashing-machine, thecombination with the casing and the thrashing devices; of an inclinedendless grain-riddle pivotally supported at its upper end within thelower part .inclination thereof, a'stop-board arrangedat right angles toand disposed aboye the lower end of the riddle and carried by theframeiof the riddle, whereby the stop-board maintains a fixed relativeposition irrespective of the inclination of the riddle, and inclinedguardboards located at opposite sides of the riddle and also carried bythe framethereof, said stop and guard boards being adapted to hold thegrain on the upper surface of the riddle until it works through theperforations in the screen-plates, substantially as set forth. I

3. In a thrasl'iing-machine, the combination with the casin g and thethrashing devices therein, of an inclined riddle-framepivotallysupported at its upper end within the lower part of the casingnear one end thereof, means for fastening or securing the riddle-frameat different inelinations,endless chains mounted to travelaround theframe and having integral inwardly-extending pivot-pins, transverseplate -bars having perforated flanged ends loosely engaging saidpivot-pins, selfadjusting screen'platcs fastened at one end to theplate-bars and adapted to slightly overlap the opposite chains and eachother, an agitator-shaft arranged transversely within the riddle-framenear the upper end thereof, and agitator-camsmounted on'saidagitator-shaft at opposite sides of the riddle-frame and adapted totapagaiust the under sides of the endless chains near their upper ends'to loosen the thrashed grain from the trash that is b'e-v ing carriedout over the upper end of the riddle, substantially as set forth. Y i

4. In a thrashing-m achine, the combination of the casing provided atits rear end with an upper straw-chute, a lower-inclined chuteboard Kand a sharply-inclined cant-board X located between the straw chute andsaid chute-board and provided with grain-pockets a3, conveyers arrangedat the lower ends of said chute and cantboards,the thrashing device'sarranged within the casing, a separating-riddle arranged longitudinallyover-said chuteboard, and two fans mounted within the easing and one ofwhich directs'a blastlongitudinally over the riddle and the other ofwhich'directs the blast longitudinally under the riddle and directlyover the-boards K and X, substantially as set forth.

5. In a thrashing-machine, the combination with the casing; of theinclined grain-cam'ier,

a series of straw-carriers arranged above and a beyond the grain-carrierand delivering grain into a common grain-space, a separatihg-rid-' dlearranged withinthe casing below and beyond the grain-carrier, and slowlyrevolving.

grain-wheels mounted within the casing directly above the riddle withinsaid grainspace, and also above the upper end .of the riddle, saidwheels being adapted to rotate in a direction toward the grain-carrierand comprising a shaft and aserie's of blades curved in the samedirection to form grain-pockets therebetween, substantially'as setforth.

6. In a thrashing-machine, the combination inrear of the cylinder ofthemachine5arevolvingbeater arranged over said carrier, the

'separating devices, a fan directing a blast with the casing; of thestraw-carrier arranged ing in close proximity to the periphery of saidbeater, and wind-legs connecting the oppoof said fan, substantially asset forth.

y In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have heretoaffixed my signature in the presence of two'witnesses.

' WILLIAM J. RANDOLPH.

\Vitnesses: v V

'JAMEs D. WHERLAND, R. B, ALCOGK.

3 site ends of said suction-box with the inlets

